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Show I LXII BEPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF IADIAN AFPAlRS. At the Pawnee Agency hut little progress is noted. Of all the Indians in the Territory the Pawnees have practically made the least advance. Under the very best auspices and under the best of agents their progress at no time in the past has been encouraging, and to-day they are far removed from civilization. Owing mainly to the drought, farming operations have not been successful. Last season 400 head of young cattle were issued to these Indians to encourage them in stock 1 - raising, but very soon after the issue some of the hides of these young cattle were brought to the agency tra,der to be sold. The policy of giv-ing annunity goods tq Indians is often questioned on the g~onndth at that which is not the product of labor of, the individual, civilized or savage, is not appreciated or valued, and it would certainly seem that in the case of the Pawnees the giving of annuity goods is o'f doubtful ut,ility. Yet ont of the gloom that seems to surround the future of these unfortunate people is a gleanl of hope, which is found in the rising generation. The pupils in the industrial boarding-school are reported to be working in a very creditable manner. The idea of it being discreditableper se to labor finds no placeinthe school, and the crops of corn, millet, and amber cane show gratifying evidence of work performed and progress made. The money received from the sale of products will be distributed among the pupils who do the work, a plan which it is believed will work well. Another school should be added to this agency according to the termsof thetreaty. The eight different tribes under Qoapaw Ageucyare alreadywell ad-vancedinthc arts of civilization, and this year encouraging progress is noted. The drought not havingwrought so disastrously here as at other agencies in the Territory, fair crops are reported. There are 311 pupils in the different schools. The great obstacle here, as elseehere, is the fact that the title to their homes, earned by their own industry and built by their own hands, is insecure; and Agent Dyer says : The Iudian is n man, sod should be trested as auch. Let us give him t,he same right8 we enjoy ; make him responsible to 1,he law. To insore them justice in futore, let us deed to paoh iudividnal in severalty his share of theland they hold in oommon; let 11s protect t,b~nrin it8 p c ~ ~ ~ ~ efeimsri.9~5 nS ears; make them citizens, and throw the reppousibilit~o f self-support upon them. Decided action shonld be taken by Congress to settle the titles of these lands in individual Indians, and thereby place them on a solid basis, when improvements would steadily and rapidly progress. The Poncas have already been referred to on page XLTII. It is earnestly hoped that Congress will ratify the agreements en-tered iuto last year with the Oroms and the Shoshones and Banuacks of Fort Hall for the cession to the United States of portions of their respecth-e reservations, as detailed in the last annual report of this office. The Indians cannot understand the delay, and are impatient to |